Full susp for £1k - £1.5k

jamski

danlightbulb wrote:

I was intending to hire something from swinnertons at cannock to try but the full sussers are quite expensive to hire and need a grand deposit down.

Is there any other way of demoing something that i dont know of?

You what?! A grand deposit? Let me have a look.

jamski

Right, there might be something from these guys. They mention full suus but can't see the link they speak of.

http://www.runandride.co.uk/pages/hire/

Giant also do a test ride scheme.

https://www.test-ride.co.uk/

Surely they can't take the money off your card at Cannock? Do they just hold the money to make sure you return?

JBA

2017 Giant Anthem 2 from Paul’s Cycles would be ideal for the majority of the riding you have described.
At £1,700 it’s a bit above you budget but well worth it, and you did say in your original post you may be able to go up.

For £50 more the Trance 2 would be better for moving on to bigger jumps and drops.

danlightbulb

JBA wrote:

2017 Giant Anthem 2 from Paul’s Cycles would be ideal for the majority of the riding you have described.
At £1,700 it’s a bit above you budget but well worth it, and you did say in your original post you may be able to go up.

For £50 more the Trance 2 would be better for moving on to bigger jumps and drops.

It would be a big budget stretch to that tbh, and i cant seem to find out what either of those weighs. Looking at those two, perhaps the bossnut is still my best option as its inbetween them.

tallpaul_s

If you want something lighter you'll either need to go for a more XC biased bike (100-120mm travel) or spend more - for instance to get to sub 30lbs (bear in mind that's only 2-3lbs lighter than the escarpe, we're not talking lighweight 25lb XC bikes here) you're looking at £2500 minimum.

Pick any 2 of these 3: light, cheap, strong. If you want a cheap FS bike it's going to be either light or strong, not both. You want something light and strong? it's not going to be cheap!

danlightbulb wrote:

Probably the issue is ive never riden a full suss so i have no idea what they are like.

And finally i want a bike to build my skills, bigger drops, jumps, maybe building up to gap jumps one day who knows. At the moment i cant clear a tabletop - dont know anywhere local i can practice this

Get to a demo day - you need to do this and ride a modern FS bike. If you want to start doing drops/jumps etc then a lightweight XC FS bike isn't going to be great, whereas a trail bike will be.

Unfortunately at your budget you can't have it all - you need to compromise in one area, for me I'm willing to be a tiny bit slower up the climbs with a 'heavy' bike (but really not that heavy) to have major fun on the downhill bits, and a decent, modern spec with dropper post, wide bars, stiff 35mm forks, wide, grippy tyres etc. You say you want to be fast uphill, but you also want to hit drops and jumps - well I'm afraid you'll need to find a middle ground, you won't find a bike that will excel at both these things for your budget.

However, you need to find out what type of bike you want, that only comes by riding some. You may have to travel to a demo day but it'll be worth it.

The bossnut would be a perfect entrance to FS mountain bikes, but be under no illusion that it'll be light - they quote 14.5kg for this years and last years model, pinkbike weighed an XL model at 14.9kg. Add a dropper and pedals and that's another 800g, you're probably not far off 35lbs total. However, it's strong, and cheap.

danlightbulb

Thanks. I think for longevity I'd be better off with a more trail oriented bike rather than an XC bike for sure.

The escarpe would be the one I think, but the size medium is now sold out and I don't have my voucher yet either, so I doubt I'll get the sale price on it which ends in 2 days.

So its the bossnut and be concerned about the weight after adding the dropper, or find something else for the sale price of the escarpe. After seeing the escarpe on sale at that price, I won't be happy paying the same or more for less spec.

jamski

Try and find a Boardman Pro fs in medium. That’s my advice now. The Vitus was an incredible deal, but to be honest, the Boardman is less travel, lighter (I think) and a great spec. Get British Cucling discount for £20 and get 10% off. They’ll be running down stocks as there are new ones but not as good.

tallpaul_s

Yeah the Pro FS has a very good spec, has a bit of a weird spec (pikes but no dropper?), but overall it's very good for the £1350 asking price. and lighter than the bossnut/escarpe even after you add a dropper.

Bear in mind you'll probably limited to where you can buy on which C2W scheme you're on... so I'd find out exactly where will take your voucher before looking at any more bikes!

jamski

It’s a couple of years old now, droppers weren’t commonplace then, especially on that budget. There is routing for an internal dropper though. Pikes, Guide Rs, lockout shock, GX groupset, it’s a great spec. The best option besides the Vitus in my opinion, and possibly better for the OP in all honesty.

danlightbulb

Id have to find the Boardman at a shop other than Halfords to be able to spend my voucher, and won't get the british cycling discount in conjunction with the voucher anyway. I'll probably struggle to get the Boardman anywhere I'd have thought. Also remember there seemed to be a weight conflict on the Boardman, with the Boardman website itself putting the weight at 14.2kg, not 13kg. (source: https://www.boardmanbikes.com/gb_en/pro ... -650b.html)


The new Boardman's seem not great. The 8.8 (£1200) isn't as good as the Bossnut and is also 14.4kg; and the 8.9 (£1600) is still 14kg but does have slightly better components (better fork in the Revelation but Im not sure everything else is much better really, also Vittoria tyres which aren't much cop(?), and still no dropper as standard).


Unless I can get something almost exactly like the Escarpe for ~£1500, then I may as well go for Bossnut?


I could hold on for the Triple B but its a good month or more away yet. Here is spec of that one:

http://calibrebicycles.com/bike/triple-b/

Its pretty much identical to the Bossnut I think except for Reba 140mm forks and a 12mm thru axle at the back, plus upgraded Guide T brakes and a dropper as standard. Weight unknown.

jamski

It’s worth the extra £400 if you can wait. If not just get the Bossnut. You’ve exhausted every other avenue now if your dismissing the Pro FS.

danlightbulb

I think I'll have to dismiss the pro fs, as i can't get hold of it using the cyclescheme voucher I have available to use. I will have a look though, see if anywhere else stocks it.


Edit - theres a shop called cycle republic in birmingham that does them, will have to give a call tomorrow. Still no dropper though (extra £120) and ive read the Continental Trail King tyres aren't that great?

jamski

Yeah cycle republic do them.

The tyres are fine to get you started. In fact I kept it as a rear tyre. For the money you’re spending, you’re going to have to compromise somewhere. You can get a brand x dropper for under £100 (more of you need a bigger drop I know) and I’d leave the tyres to start with and see how you find them.

I love the Pike fork. The bike is worth it for those alone in my opinion.

Click the link in my signature to see just how nice you can make the pro fs look. It’s a good looking bike. The changes I made were minimal really, but made a big difference.

danlightbulb

Ha ha yeah i already had a look at yours. Id be happy with it im sure but in back of my mind is:

* 25mm rim width compared to 29mm on the bossnut
* stories of mech hanger snapping quickly
* 68.5 head angle compared to 66.8 on the bossnut, bossnut is 1.7 degrees slacker

But on the plus side:
* pike fork 140mm travel and 35mm stantions compared to 130mm/32mm on the bossnut
* 12mm rear axle compared to 9mm qr on the bossnut
* better brakes (probably not that critical to me really)
* lighter (due mainly to fork, rims and tyres i imagine?)
* frame looks a bit better shaped than the bossnut, which looks to have a bit too much seattube height.

Its hard to know which would suit me better really.

jamski

Mech hangers are designed to snap, and you should carry a spare. (Although I don’t!)

The rims are narrow for today’s standards, but will happily take a 2.35 tyre.

You’ve been worried about climbing ability, the slightly steeper head angle will aid that. There is also a replacement rocker linkage that slackens it slightly if you felt you wanted to. The lockout on the shock will help climbing too.

The Bossnut is a great bike for £1k, the Boardman is a better bike for £1,300.

danlightbulb

Weighed my existing bike this morning - 12.7kg. Quite surprised tbh i was expecting over 13kg. All ive changed since new is bars, grips and pedals.

I think its understandable to be concerned over a near 2kg jump up, but cant spend mega money so got to settle somewhere.

jamski

You do need to settle somewhere, but where, that's the big question?!

Just checked CRC for the Vitus. It's in stock in all sizes. That is the bike to go for. It will do everything you want, and you'll have a great time doing it. I'll even post a link for you. Can you get the 10% off that if you have a code and use your cycle to work? Seriously, this is the one.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/vitu ... d|587045UK

JBA

I think you are worrying too much about the weight of the bike. For your budget you will not get a light weight MTB.

Over time you will be able to shed a kg or so by some simple changes - tubeless setup, lighter tyres, lighter rims, carbon bars, light weight pedals, etc - but they will all cost.

The Vitus Escarpe linked to above is a cracking deal. Buy it and stop dilly dallying.

Also be careful trying to use a cycle scheme voucher towards a bike costing more than £1k. You are not buying the bike. Your employer is and then effectively leasing it to you. Some shops will let you add your own cash to 'top up' the voucher but you are breaking the law in doing so.

danlightbulb

Waiting for voucher to arrive still, cant buy until then but i did check with chain reaction and I can add to the voucher value - my employer allows it apparantly (they can check on the cyclescheme register). I also asked about the british cycling discount and it cant be used in conjunction with cyclescheme.

All on the voucher now if it turns up in time.

jamski

Interestingly, the bike is no longer in the 1 week sale, but the price is still the same. Hope it turns up soon!

danlightbulb

If it was a choice between boardman pro fs (pike fork) and the escarpe vr, which would you pick and why?

jamski

danlightbulb wrote:

If it was a choice between boardman pro fs (pike fork) and the escarpe vr, which would you pick and why?

Escarpe. More modern, arguably a slightly better shock, wider rims, great tyres tyres, easier climbing gear, better finishing kit, dropper post. Loved my Boardman, but I don't think there's any contest really.

JGTR

Just choose one dude :roll:

As already said a few times, they are all great bikes and you’ll be fine on any of them. The more money you spend the better bike you get. Simples.

tallpaul_s

The Escarpe deal ends today, after that it'll be back to £1850.

danlightbulb

Flew down the monkey trail descents at cannock this evening on my old hardtail, it can still do the job. No problem with the 18" drop offs and various rocky sections on the route. Found the flat and slight uphill singletrack harder than the descents tbh, legs tire so fast i cant keep the pace going. This is why im worried about weight and fatter tyres.

Saw a few people on fat tyres through. One guy had 3" tyres they were huge.He told me it was less nimble but could roll over anything. I bet my bike is so twitchy in comparison but as its all ive known i guess im used to it.

And just noticed the escarpe is back to £1850

danlightbulb

Any thoughts on this one for £1200?

Manitou forks/shock, 140mm front and rear travel, bolt thus axles, dropper post, 1x11, 13.8kg, 68.3 degrees head angle, 71.8 degrees seat angle.

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/rockrider-a ... 07469.html


Vitus was slacker at the front, steeper at the seat, is that what makes the climbing reasonable on it? Shame about the vitus, I was convinced on it but knew I'd miss the sale waiting for voucher.

jamski

To be honest mate, I'd wait until you get your voucher then start this thread up again. There seems little point asking us all if you don't have the funds.

For what it's worth, I'd choose the Pro FS or Bossnut over the Decathlon one. You really have to get over this hangup about going up hills. I hate hills, but managed everything on the Pro FS. You'll be the same on that, or the Bossnut, or the Vitus.

danlightbulb

Thanks, makes sense, hopefully will hurry up. Or maybe not if ive missed the chance now.

The hills thing. Its not particularly the boring hills thats the problem its the flat or slightly ascending singletrack. I just cant maintain speed on it. It might not be a bike problem it might be a me problem. After just a short time on middle front ring + large back ring, my front thighs burn and my lower back hurts so i have to drop to granny ring and spin it out.

tallpaul_s

danlightbulb wrote:

Thanks, makes sense, hopefully will hurry up. Or maybe not if ive missed the chance now.

The hills thing. Its not particularly the boring hills thats the problem its the flat or slightly ascending singletrack. I just cant maintain speed on it. It might not be a bike problem it might be a me problem. After just a short time on middle front ring + large back ring, my front thighs burn and my lower back hurts so i have to drop to granny ring and spin it out.

Haha, that my friend is fitness. Or rather, lack of!

My lack of fitness is a large part of the reason I got a FS bike, after doing a couple of rides round swinley/bedgebury last year, about 10 miles long - I found at the end my legs were like jelly forcing me to sit down to keep any sort of speed along flat singletrack sections, and this was causing every single bump to jar my sitbones and spine on the hardtail I was on. By the end of the ride I was done in.

Fast forward to this week and I've been commuting 4 miles a day for 6 weeks now, I went out for an hour the other night on 90% flat ground and did 7 miles and barely felt it.

Get fitter, loose a few lbs and you won't feel the couple of extra lbs of bike under you.

danlightbulb

Not sure its entirely fitness related tbh because i had the same issue when i used to do the trails religiously twice a week. Im not heavy either, just under 12st at 5'10".

Maybe the hardtail is taking more out of me than i think it is as you suggest.

But the other thing i notice is just one cog smaller and i grind to a halt. Granny ring front and largest cog back i can sit and spin up a hill all day, but one rear cog down and i cant maintain cadence and end up grinding to a halt. It doesnt make sense that one cog down should do this.